Walk into any casino out there and, rest assured, slot machines will be lined up as far as the eye can see. You don’t have to be an expert to use these, and they seem fairly simple, but let’s not doubt the complexity of these machines. It turns out there’s still a lot we don’t know about them. We’ve taken the liberty to assemble some of the lesser known facts about slots.

DID YOU KNOW:

The United States, believe it or not, is actually not the head honcho when it comes to the sheer quantity of slot machines in one land mass. Forget Las Vegas – Japan is the top contender here. Research shows that there’s approximately one slot machine per 27 people. Factor in Japan’s sizeable population and you’ve got yourself a nearly inconceivable number of slot machines.

The world’s largest slot was the Super Big Bertha. This beast of a machine was two metres wide and 2.5 metres high. Made back in the 1950s, this jacked-up monstrosity cost $150,000 to make, which was a lot of money back then (close to $1.2 million dollars now) and featured eight reels with 20 symbols on each one. Unfortunately, old Bertha went on to retire and now only exists as a slots legend. At the moment, the Queen’s Machine, squatting in the Four Queens Hotel in downtown Las Vegas, holds the crown of largest active slot.

On a spookier note, did you know that the white, blank spots on slot machine reels are called “ghosts”? Think about that the next time you’re feeling superstitious at the casino. While you’re watching the reels, there’s no knowing what’s watching you back.

We’ve all spun through images of lemons and cherries in more traditional slot machines, and that’s because packs of chewing gum used to be dispensed from them. The fruit symbols indicated what gum flavour you would receive.

The all-time biggest payout to come from a slot machine happened on March 21, 2003. A whopping $39.7 million landed into the hands of a 25-year-old software engineer from Los Angeles. His winnings came in 25 annual payments of approximately $1.5 million.

Slots are blissfully simple: pull the lever, watch the magic happen. Of course, there’s no lever for online slots, just buttons – which can get tricky. So we’ve prepared a quick run-through; learn this, and you’ll be in the fast lane.

Getting Started

Visit Bodog online casino, select either 3D slots or slots and pick a slot to spin. Select “real money” if you have cash in your account or “practice” to play try it out. The “spin” button is typically on the bottom right; otherwise, and if you’re really lazy, you can use “auto spin” to make the game to spin on its own up to 200 times while you watch the magic happen. Other buttons on the screen include “bet max” and the amount you want to wager per spin. Most offer $0.05, $0.10, $0.25, $0.50, $1,00, $2,00, $5,00.

Spoiled for Choice

New slot gamers are familiar with the standard three reels featuring cherries, bells and sevens. However, at Bodog Casino, we bring players all the variety of a diverse array of slots.

Real-Series Video: these are the 20 line multi-denominational slot machines, three-reel traditional slot machines and five-reel nine line Video Slots with big progressive jackpots. You can identify a 20-line slot from the numbers one to 20 around it. So, if you only choose a few lines to bet on, you’ll only get credits/paid if the symbols fall on those lines. You know you’re playing a video slot machine when interactive videos play before or during the game.

Betting the Max

The “bet max” comes in handy when you want to win big. The biggest jackpots happen if you’re betting the maximum. Some maximums are three credits on each spin, some are 20. You have to bet the maximum to win a progressive jackpot, not just a penny.

You’ve set up your account and you’re ready to go – choose a game and let the good times roll, right? Not quite. Below are three easy tips for a great first online casino experience.

Check the Rules

Always read the rules carefully so that you understand what to expect. For example, Loose Deuces and Deuces Wild are two Video Poker games with the same fundamental rules: the player is dealt five cards and must choose which ones to keep; the same hands are used; 2s are wild and the player wins if their final hand consists of a 3 of a kind or higher. The difference between the games is the type of payouts they offer.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice Play is another useful tool offered by many online casinos as it affords players a chance to work out a playing strategy. Here at Bodog you can practice play on any game before logging into your account.

Reading strategy articles will certainly help sharpen your game tactics; unfortunately, such strategies are also available to your competitors. To use the old saying, practice makes perfect. Practice Play is no doubt a useful tool that can be used to refine anyone’s gaming skills without using real money.

Grab that Welcome Bonus

Another feature that sets online casinos apart from their real-time counterparts is the welcome bonus.

These bonuses are commonly offered as 100% Match Bonus. Players must make a deposit, redeem a the code and the casino will match that amount by 100%.

The main advantage of welcome bonuses is that the casino in question takes on part of the risk, giving players the freedom to explore new games with twice the amount they originally had to play with.

Capitalize on your playing time and take advantage of the welcome bonus. You’ll definitely get more bang for your buck.

Roulette tables are divided into two different betting areas: the inside and outside. The outside offer less risk: that’s where you find the red/black, odd/even and column bets. These bets are also the ones that pay you the least.

However, when it comes to inside bets, well, that’s where Roulette gets interesting. Let’s discuss the bets that you can place on the inside of the table:

Straight Up Bet

You place a wager on a single number on the board. If that number comes up, you get a payout of 35:1. This is the least likely bet to pay out, so it’s the largest single payout you’ll see on the board.

Split Bet

A Split Bet is made when you place your chip on two adjacent numbers at the same time. For example, if you placed your chip on the line on the line between 7 and 8, then both numbers are covered with that bet. The payout on a Split Bet is 17:1. You can also make a Zero Double Zero bet by placing a Split bet on the line separating those two spots on the board.

Street Bet/Row Bet

Place your chip on the outside border of a horizontal row of three numbers on the border. For example, if want to bet on 10/11/12, you can place your chip on the outer border of the 10 or the 12, and all three numbers are covered. The payout for this bet is 11:1.

Double Street/Double Row Bet

This is a wager on six numbers and pays out 5:1. If you want to bet on six numbers at the same time, such as 10/11/12/13/14/15, then you place your chip where the outer border and the line that divides the two rows meet, either where the 10 and 13 or the 12 and 16 abut one another.

Quad Bet/Corner Bet

This bet covers four numbers at the same time and is placed when you put the chip on the spot where four adjacent numbers meet. This could be where 15/16/18/19 all meet, for instance. The payout for this is 8:1.

Basket Bet

This is a little-known bet among Roulette players and since it offers the biggest house edge, you probably shouldn’t bother with it either. That said, if you want to bet on 00/1/2/3, then you’ll just place a chip where the 2 and the zeroes meet. The payout for this is only 6:1, even if it covers 5 numbers.

Thanksgiving Slots Bonus Promotion:

A very special slot bonus campaign just launched at Bodog Casino. Kick back and celebrate with this Promotion over Thanksgiving, with up to $1,000 in bonuses. You can now enjoy the holiday with cash bonuses all weekend long. From Friday through Monday, Bodog’s players can check their Available Bonuses daily for up to $1,000 in slots match bonuses.

Why not use these exclusive Thanksgiving bonuses on over 100 new games that have been recently added to Bodog’s website? With the latest Rival game additions promising flashy graphics, thrilling storylines and big payouts, things keep getting better at Bodog Casino.

So while that Turkey’s roasting in the oven, elevate your Thanksgiving to the next level by checking out all the games on offer – you’ll be spoiled for choice. From embarking on an exciting jungle adventure in Golden Gorilla to wooing the beautiful bombshell in the Bachelorette-inspired game The Final Rose, Bodog’s got a whole feast of slot games to keep you satisfied this Thanksgiving.

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